Whitbread managing director Patrick Dempsey said the new room design would enable the group to expand to noisy locations and still stick to its ‘Good Night Guarantee’, which offers guests a full refund if they are not 100 per cent satisfied with their stay.

“Our floating bedroom is a major innovation in hotel design and means we can now bring Premier Inn to fantastic locations such as Leicester Square and to other sites where outside noise could be an issue,” he said.

“It means we can be confident about guaranteeing a good night’s sleep even in the heart of one of the world’s liveliest and most celebrated entertainment centres.”

Room design​

Premier Inn worked with the engineering company Aecom to develop the new room design.

Over six months, a team of acoustic engineers, architects and construction specialists conducted a range of tests to find the final design formula. This included weighing an entire bedroom to ensure optimum compression of the isolation pads – including everything used in the construction, from the 5,000 nails to the bathroom tile adhesive.

The final design sees each bedroom made with a metal frame forming an independent box with no contact with the neighbouring rooms or hallway.

Acoustic linings to the walls and ceilings provide sound insulation between bedrooms, while building services are isolated and windows have quadruple glazing. Resulting noise levels are “significantly better” than standards recommended by the World Health Organisation, said Whitbread.

Added cost​

The design essentially scales down a common approach used by engineers to isolate entire buildings, but this is the first time it’s being used on individual rooms, explained a spokesperson.

“It’s a common approach in the new build sector, but this is the first time it’s being done in an existing building.”

Each bedroom will cost an additional 10 per cent to construct compared to a standard Premier Inn room, but the company said it won’t be passing on the additional cost to guests.

Construction work is expected to start later this month and the hotel is scheduled to open in February 2012.